Motion conversion device



March 13, 1962 M. VON RABENAU 3,024,535

MOTION CONVERSION DEVICE Original Filed April 15, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Fla. 2

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ATTORNEYS March 13, 1962 M. VON RABENAU 3,024,535

MOTION CONVERSION DEVICE Original Filed April 15, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 37 En 4 'IIIIIIIIII IIIIIII u- TIIIII/III III/111A IN VEN TOR. MANl/ELVa/vAABEA/Au /4T TaRNE Ks United rates i atent 3,024,535 MUTEONQQNVERSEUN DEVICE Manuel von Rahenau, 3260 Sandeen Road, St. Paul, Minn.

Originai application Apr. 15, 1957, Ser. No. 652,787, new Patent No.2,895,258, dated July 21, 1959. Divided and this application July 15,1959, Ser. No. 827,269

12 Claims. (Cl. fil -15) This invention relates to a motion conversiondevice by which rotary motion is utilized to impart predeterminedlongitudinal and transverse movement to a carrier arm. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a motion conversion deviceadapted for installation in the body and arms of a doll whereby rotarymotion may be utilized to impart a predetermined longitudinal andtransverse movement to a carrier arm to enable the doll to draw orwrite, as described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No.652,787, filed April 15, 1957, now Patent No. 2,895,258 granted July 21,1959, of which this application is in part a division.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a motion converterincluding a double track cam which upon rotation imparts a predeterminedlongitudinal and transverse movement to a carrier arm guided by camfollowers in or on the tracks of said cam.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this inventionthen comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth indetail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these beingindicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which theprinciples of the invention may be employed.

The invention is illustrated by the drawings in which the same numeralsrefer to corresponding parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of one form of the motion converter of thisinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of the device of thisinvention;

FIGURE 3 is a right end elevation, partly in section, of the motionconversion device;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of one form of a double track cam showing theconfiguration of the tracks for the writing of the word Ma by a doll inwhich the device is installed;

FIGURE 5 is a representation of a doll showing schematically the mannerin which the unit of this invention is incorporated in the dolls body toproduce a mechanical writing doll;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of a slightly modified form of motionconversion device according to this invention;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical elevation through the cam disk of the modifiedform of motion conversion device;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of a modified form of double track cam which maybe utilized in the device of this invention; and

FlGURE 9 is a vertical section through the cam of FIGURE 8 taken on theline 99 and in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG- URES l, 2, and 3,there is shown a box-like frame or housing indicated generally at 10 andincluding a front wall 11, a rear wall 12, a right end wall 13, and atleft end wall 14. Journaled for reciprocatory motion in the upperportion of the housing frame lltl between the front wall 11 and the rearwall 12 is a lateral or transverse motion carrier indicated generally at15. The lateral or transverse motion carrier 15 includes a right handhori- 3,@Z4,535 Patented Mar. 13, 1962 zontal bar or rod 16 slidablysupported in openings in the front and rear walls of the housing and aleft hand bar or rod 17 similarly mounted and parallel to the first.Rods 16 and 17 are connected by a pair of spaced parallel horizontalbars or rods 18 and 19 to form a rigid transversely reciprocating unit.

Supported on the front and rear rods 18 and 19 of the transverse motioncarrier 15 is a longitudinal motion carrier indicated generally at 20.The longitudinal motion carrier 20 includes a carrier base 21, a righthand end member 22 secured to the base, and a left hand end member 23secured to the opposite end of the base. The end members 22 and 23 areprovided with guide ways for rods 18 and 19 so that the entire carrier20 is slidably movable longitudinally along rods 13 and 19 while movabletransversely with the transverse carrier frame 15.

A relatively long curved rigid carrier arm 24 is mounted in the rightand left end members 22 and 23 for longitudinal movement with thelongitudinal motion carrier 2%. Carrier arm 24 carries a stylus 25 atits outer extremity. Arm 24 is journaled in the end members 22 and 23for slight pivotal or rotational movement with respect to thelongitudinal motion carrier 20 but it is secured by means of lockingcollars 26 so as to move longitudinally with the carrier 2%.

Another arm 27 is fixedly secured to the housing 10 on the side oppositefrom the movable carrier arm 24. Arm 27 carries a pad 28 at its outerextremity. Pad 28 is so positioned that its upper surface and stylus 25are in contact during operation of the motion conversion device.

Movement is imparted to the carriers 15 and 20 by means of a doubletrack disk cam indicated generally at 2%. Cam 29 is mounted to rotatewith a gear Wheel 30. Cam 29 and gear 3% are supported for rotation in ahorizontal plane on a cross member 31 positioned between the front andrear walls of the housing 10 below transverse motion carrier 15. Cam 29is provided with two tracks on its upper surface, an outer track 32which controls transverse movement of both of the carriers 15 and 20 andcarrier arm 24- and an inner track 33 which controls longitudinalmovement of longitudinal carrier 26 and the carrier arm.

Transverse movement is imparted to the carriers 15 and 2e and carrierarm 24- by means of an outside cam follower 34 which is supported in aslotted bracket 35 supported on the inside of front wall 11 of thehousing above the top surface of the cam disk. Cam follower 34 isrestrained against vertical movement and held within the confines of theslot in bracket 35 by means of suitable collars 36. An arm 37 extendsfrom the upper end of the cam follower 34 to the transverse motioncarrier 15. The inner end of arm 37 is secured to the front horizontalbar 18 of the transverse motion carrier. It will be apparent that thesame transverse motion imparted to carrier 15 will likewise be impartedto the longitudinal motion carrier 20.

Longitudinal motion is imparted to the longitudinal motion carrier 20and arm 24 by means of inside cam follower 39 moving in the inner track33 of the cam 29. Cam follower 39 is supported by means of collars 40 ina slotted bracket 41. The upper end of cam follower 39 moves in atransverse slot 42 on the lower surface of the base 21 of thelongitudinal motion carrier 20 to permit simultaneous transverse andlongitudinal movement of carrier 20.

Exemplary means for providing rotational motion to the gear wheel 3d andcam 29 are provided as follows: A horizontal shaft 43 provided with acrank handle 44 is journaled in th end walls 13 and 14 of the housing 10below the cam disk and gear wheel 30. A gear wheel 45 .3 raving teethwhich mesh at right angles with the teeth of gear wheel 30 is keyed toshaft 43. Rotation of crank 44 causes rotation of the horizontal shaft43 and the gear wheel 45. This in turn causes rotation in a horizontalplane of gear wheel 30 and cam 29.

As the cam 29 rotates, the outer cam follower 34 rides in the outsidecam track 32. The movement of the cam follower 34 is limited by the slotin bracket 35 in which the cam follower is held by collars 36.Accordingly, the movement of cam follower 34 is restricted to a path ina horizontal plane. That path is parallel to the side Walls 13 and 14 ofthe housing and perpendicular to the front wall 11. By means of the arm37 which connects the upper end of the cam follower 34 to the lateralmotion carrier 15, that carrier is reciprocated in a lateral ortransverse direction while sliding on the ends of the rods 16 and 17.

Simultaneously with the movement of the outside cam follower 34 in theoutside track the inner cam follower 39 is moved as it runs in theinside track 33 of the cam 29. It will be noted that the slot in bracket41 is in the same plane as the slot in bracket 35 and disposed at aright angle thereto. Th inner carn follower 39 is supported in the slotin bracket 41 and its movement is restricted to a back and forthmovement in a horizontal plane in a direction parallel to the front andrear walls 11 and 12 of the housing and perpendicular to the end wall13.

The upper end of the inner cam follower 39 rides in a transverse slot 42in the bottom of the carrier base 21 of the longitudinal motion carrier.motion carrier is reciprocated back and forth under influence of outercam follower 34 and the outer track 32 of the cam, the upper end of camfollower 39 moves freely in slot 42. When a longitudinal movement issimultaneously imparted to the longitudinal motion carrier by means ofinside cam follower 39 riding in the inside cam track 33, the entirelongitudinal motion carrier 20 slides on parallel rods 18 and 19 of thelateral motion carrier 15. As the longitudinal motion carrier is thusmoved in both a lateral and simultaneous longitudinal direction, thecarrier arm 24 and the stylus 25 are moved laterally and longitudinallyso as to inscribe a predetermined inscription.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the configuration of thecam tracks 32 and 33, as shown most clearly in FIGURE 4, will cause thestylus 25 to inscribe the word Ma. The cam and the stylus are shown intheir starting position. In this position the outside cam follower 34 ispositioned at line A and the inside cam follower 39 is displaced by 90at line D. As the cam rotates counterclockwise the distance between lineA and line B, the outer cam follower 34 is pulled inwardly as it ridesin the slotted bracket 35 and pushes the entire transverse motioncarrier 15 inwardly and along with it the entire longitudinal motioncarrier 20 and the carrier arm 24 and stylus 25. The result of thismotion is to cause the stylus to form the initial downstroke of thescript M. Th motion is virtually entirely transverse with little or nolongitudinal motion.

As the cam rotates counter-clockwise a further distance represented bythe space between lines B and C, the first upstroke of the M is formed.As the outer cam track moves relative to the cam follower the distancefrom line B to line C, the follower 34 moves outwardly in the slottedbracket and pulls with it the transverse carrier 15 and along withcarrier 15 the longitudinal motion carrier, carrier arm and stylus. Atthe same time the inner cam track 33 is being moved relative to the camfollower 39 a distance from line B to line F. As line F is approached,the follower 39 is engaged by a protuberance on the outer edge of theinside cam track and a slight simultaneous longitudinal motion issuperimposed upon the transverse motion to form half of the arc of thefirst loop of the script M.

As the cam disk is rotated farther, the outside cam follower 34 is movedrelative to the cam between line C and Thus, as the transverse line Dand at the same time the inside cam follower 39 is moved relative to thecam from line F to line G. Initially in this segment of the cam there isimparted a simultaneous longitudinal and transvers motion to form thedescending arc on the first loop of the script M and thereafter there istransverse movement only while the second downstroke is formed. As theoutside cam follower 34 is moved relative to the cam track from line Dto line E to line F, the inside cam follower 39 is moved relative to thecam disk from line G to line H to line I and the second complete loop ofthe script M is formed.

As the outside cam follower 34 is moved relative to the cam disk fromline F to line G, the inside cam follower 39 is moved from line I toline G and the first upstroke of the small script 0 is formed. Thisinvolves both transverse and longitudinal motion as the stylus inscribesan upwardly sweeping curve. The first half of the loop of the letter ais formed while the cam follower 34 moves from line G to line H andinside cam follower 39 moves from G to H. Formation of this half loopinvolves a backward longitudinal motion imparted by inside follower 39simultaneously with a transverse downstroke.

The loop of the letter a is completed as the outer cam follower movesfrom H to I and the inner cam follower from H to I. The finishingdownstroke of the a is formed as the outer cam follower 34 moves from Ito K and the inner follower 39 from I to K and the letter a is finishedwith an upstroke as follower 34 moves from I to L and follower 39 from Kto L. The stylus is returned to starting position by means of a backwardlongitudinal movement imparted as follower 34 is moved from L back to Arelative to the cam disk and follower 39 is moved from L back to D.

As the stylus is returned to its starting position, it is desirablylifted from the surface of the pad. This is accomplished by thefollowing means: An opening 50 is provided in the front wall 11 of thehousing 10. A cam 51 is keyed to horizontal shaft 43 for rotation withthe shaft and the gear wheel 45. A curved arm 52 is secured at one endto carrier arm 24 adjacent to where it is journaled for pivotal movementin the end members 22 and 23 of the longitudinal motion carrier 20. Thearm 52 extends outwardly over the transverse motion carrier and the cammechanism and curves downwardly through the opening 50 in front wall 11and into the path of cam 51.

The carrier arm 24 is maintained under constant spring tension in orderto insure contact between the stylus 25 and the surface of pad 28 duringthe scribing of a word or figure. Tension is maintained by a flat spiralspring 53 one end of which is secured to the end of carrier arm 24 andthe other end of which is supported by a bar 54 extending across the topof the longitudinal motion carrier 20. The cam 51 is so positioned onshaft 43 that at the end of the inscription the cam engages arm 52 andmoves it upwardly against the tension of spring 53 to lift the carrierarm and the stylus during the backward return stroke. In the exemplaryillustration, as the cam 29 moves through the distance represented bythe segment from L to A, the arm 52 is engaged by cam 50 and the stylusis lifted off the pad.

In FIGURE 5 there is shown the motion conversion unit of this inventioninstalled in the body and arms of a doll indicated generally at 55. Thehousing 10 is installed in the upper chest portion of the dolls body.Carrier arm 24 extends out through the right shoulder and down throughthe right arm to the right hand of the doll which holds a suitablestylus. Similarly, the stationary arm 27 extends through the leftshoulder and the left arm of the doll down to the left hand which holdsa suitable pad 23. Obviously the mechanism can be reversed to produce aleft-handed doll if so desired.

In the exemplary illustration the mechanism of this invention isdesigned to inscribe the word Ma. By merely substituting another doubletrack cam wherein the outer track and inner track have differentconfiguralions, other short words and simple designs and figures may beinscribed by a stylus. The stylus may be, for example, a pencil, aballpoint pen, or the like and the pad 28 may be simply a pad of papersupported by a suitable rigid backing. In the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, however, it is preferred that the stylus be simply adull, non-marking point and that the pad be a so-called Magic Slate.

As is well known, such a tablet or pad comprises an opaque backing sheethaving a waxy coating overlaid by semi-opaque or translucent sheet. Thislast sheet may also desirably be covered by a transparent film. As aninscription is formed by the pressure of the stylus against the topsurface of the pad, the semi-opaque sheet is forced into intimatecontact with the waxy surface of the opaque backing. Because of the veryslight tackiness of the waxy coating the semi-opaque sheet adheres tothe opaque backing along the line where pressure was applied so that theopaque backing is visible through the semi-opaque sheet at those points.The whole inscription is erased by merely lifting the translucent sheetfrom the backing and breaking the temporary bond between it and thebacking sheet.

It will be apparent that a variety of types of rotary motion means maybe employed to impart rotary motion to the double track cam 29 and theinvention is by no means limited to the crank and gear wheel systemshown. Other exemplary means include spring motors and the like.

Referring to FIGURE 6, there is shown a modified form of motionconversion device incorporating alternative structure for lifting thestylus from the surface of the pad after a word has been written on thepad. According to the alternative structure, an arm 52A is secured atone end to carrier arm 24 in such a position that arm 52A lies over aradius of the cam disk. The arm 52A is inclined downwardly at such anangle that when the stylus 25 is in contact with the pad 28, the arm 52Ais supported just free of the peripheral edge of the cam disc. Anarcuate edge cam 56 extends upwardly from the top surface of the camdisk adjacent its peripheral edge. The edge cam 56 has a profile and isof such height, as best shown in FIGURE 7, that upon completion of theword written on the pad the free end of arm 52A is contacted by the edgecam 56 rotating with the cam disk, and arm 52A is lifted causing pivotalrotation of carrier arm 24 in the end members 22 and 23 of thelongitudinal motion carrier 20 lifting the stylus from the pad. Uponcontinued rotation of the cam disk, the action of arm 52A riding on edgecam 56 again lowers the carrier arm bringing the stylus into contactwith the pad.

Spring 53 which maintains the carrier arm under spring tension to insurecontact between the stylus and the pad during the scribing of a word orfigure likewise insures contact between the end of arm 52A and the edgecam. Use of the alternative arm lifting means requires relocation of camfollower 34 and its associated structure, including bracket 35 andconnecting arm 37, so that the displacement between the inside camfollower 39 and outside cam follower 34 is 270, or 90 in the oppositedirection. This likewise necessitates similar displacement of the camtracks on the cam disk. By reference to the explanation in connectionwith FIGURE 4, it will be seen that displacement of the cam tracks canbe readily accomplished.

In the scribing of certain words containing the letter i which needs tobe dotted, or t" which needs to be crossed, or where two words or twoblock letters are required to be separated, it is necessary to providemeans for lifting the carrier arm 24 so that this separation may beaccomplished. For example, in scribing a word containing a t, the entireword may be written without crossing the "t; the arm is then lifted andthe point of the stylus is returned to proper position for beginning across line and then returned to the pad. When the cross stroke has beenscribed, the stylus is again lifted from the pad denoting the end of theword. Secondary arcuate edge cams 57 may be provided as needed about theperiphery of the cam disk to lift the carrier arm as required.

In FIGURES 8 and 9 there is shown an alternative form of cam disk andcam follower. The alternative form of cam disk 29A utilizes raisedtracks 58 and 59 which are in the form of ridges or lands, as opposed togrooves. The cam followers for use with the alternative form of ridgecam each include a pair of Vertical rollers 60, each supportedvertically from a slotted base 61 adapted to be supported in andslidably movable in brackets 35 and 41 in much the same manner as thepin cam followers. Rollers 60 are journaled for rotation on oposite sideof one of the ridge cams 58 or 59. A connecting spur or lug 62 on thetop of the base member 61 permits operative connection of the camfollowers to the carrier elements. The alternative form of camconstruction may be utilized in conjunction with the motion conversiondevice as shown in FIGURES 1 to 3 or the modified form shown in FIGURE6. Where utilized in the modified form of structure shown in FIGURE 6,edge cams are provided as needed.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this inventionas hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spiritand scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by wayof example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for converting rotary motion to transverse and longitudinalmotion in a plane, said device comprising a supporting frame, atransverse motion carrier mounted for reciprocatory motion in saidframe, a longitudinal motion carrier mounted on said transverse carrierfor transverse movement with said carrier and longitudinal motionrelative thereto, a double track disk cam, a cam follower disposed inassociation wtih each of said cam tracks, a slotted guide member foreach of said cam followers, said slotted guide members being secured tosaid frame and spaced from the face of said disk cam, the slots in saidguide members being disposed at right angles with respect to each other,means connecting one of said cam followers to said transverse motioncarrier to impart transverse motion to said carrier, means connectingthe other of said cam followers to said longitudinal motion carrier toimpart longitudinal motion thereto, and means for rotating said cam.

2.. A device according to claim 1 further characterized in that saidtransverse motion carrier comprises a pair of spaced parallel horizontalslide members mounted at each end in the supporting frame forreciprocation in a transverse direction.

3. A device according to claim 2 further characterized in that saidtransverse motion carrier includes a second pair of spaced parallelhorizontal slide members perpendicular to the first pair of slidemembers and connected thereto.

4. A device according to claim 3 further characterized in that saidlongitudinal motion carrier is supported on said second pair of slidemembers.

5. A device according to claim 3 further characterized in that the guidemember slot for the cam follower connected to the transverse motioncarrier is parallel to said first pair of slide members.

6. A device according to claim 5 further characterized in that the meansconnecting the other of said cam followers to said longitudinal motioncarrier comprises a slot in the bottom of said carrier parallel to saidfirst pair of slide members.

7. A device according to claim 1 further characterized in that said camdisk is provided with a pair of non-intersecting eccentric cam tracksdisposed about the center 7 of said disk;;the inner track governinglongitudinal movement of the longitudinal motion carrier and the outertrack governing transverse movement of the transverse motion carrier andlongitudinal motion carrier.

8. A device according to claim 1 further characterized in that a rigidcarrier arm having a stylus at its outer extremity is mounted formovement with said longitudinal motion' carrier, a rigid stationary armis mounted on said supporting frame, said stationary arm having a flatpad at its outer extremity held in the plane of movement of said stylus.

9. A device according to claim 8 further characterized in that saidmeans for rotating said cam includes a first horizontal gear wheelsupported for rotation with said cam, a horizontal shaft journaled insaid supporting frame below said first gear wheel, a second verticalgear wheel on said shaft having; teeth meshing with the first gear wheeland means for rotating said shaft.

10. A device according to claim 8 further characterized by the provisionof cam means operative to lift said carrier arm and stylus from thesurface of said pad.

11. A device for converting rotary motion to transverse and longitudinalmotion in a plane, said device comprising a supporting frame; atransverse-motion carrier comprising-a pair of parallel horizontal slidemembers mounted in said frame for reciprocation in a transversedirection and a second pair of parallel horizontal slide membersperpendicular to the first pair of slide members .andconnectedthereto; alongitudinal motion car-, rier mounted on said second pair ofslidemembers of said transverse carrier for transverse movement with saidcarrier and longitudinal motion'relative thereto; a hori zontaldouble-track carndisk supported for horizontal rotationin said framebelow said carriers, saidcam being providedlwith a pairof-non-intersecting eccentric cam tracks disposed about the center ofsaid disk, the inner track governing longitudinal movement of thelongitudinal motion carrier and the outer track governing transversemovement of the transverse motion carrier and longitudinal motioncarrier; a cam follower adapted to follow said outer'cam track, aslotted guide member for said cam follower secured to said frame abovethe cam disk, the slot of said guide being parallel to the first pair ofhorizontal slide members of said transverse motion carrier, meansconnecting said cam follower to said transverse motion carrier wherebytransverse motion of said cam follower upon rotation of said cam isimparted to said carrier; a second cam follower adapted to follow saidinner cam track, a second slotted guide member for said second camfollower secured to said frame above the cam disk, the slot of saidguide being disposed at right angles to said first guide slot, meansconnecting said second cam follower to said longitudinal motion carrierwhereby longitudinal motion of said cam follower upon rotation of saidcam is imparted to said carrier; a rigid carrier arm having a stylus atits outer extremity mounted for movement with said longitudinal motioncarrier; a rigid stationary arm mounted on said supporting frame, saidarm having a flat pad at its outer extremity held in the plane ofmovement of the stylus; and means for rotating said cam.

12. A device according to claim 11 further characterized by theprovision of cam means operative to lift said carrier arm and stylusfrom the surface of said pad.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 4,271Thurber Nov. 18, 1845 512,089 Bangerter Jan. 2, 1894 1,652,988 SundquistDec. 13, 1927 1,883,204- Whitaker Oct. 18, 1932

